All Too Well
by thelittlelioness
Summary: Hermione runs into Ron at the Burrow months after they broke up. Romione. Fluff. Bit of Angst.


**A/N:** This ficlet was based loosely off of/ inspired by Taylor Swift's song "All Too Well", hence the title.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift.

All Too Well

I walk down the hall of the Burrow, gazing at the various photos of the Weasley family hanging on the walls. A wedding picture of Molly and Arthur; the family portrait from their trip to Egypt the summer before third year; one of Harry and Ginny from the night they were engaged. I sigh. They have it so perfectly. Ginny got to marry her _celebrity crush_. Harry finally got the large family and loyal companionship he'd been searching for all his life. A part of me aches for a relationship like that.

I stop at a picture of Harry, Ron, and myself taken the first day of third year. I, the shortest, stand at the center with each of the two boys at my sides. We are beaming up at the camera, unaffected by all the happenings of that year for the moment. Ron's hand is on my shoulder, pulling me slightly closer. For a fleeting second, I wish for that friendship again. We fought constantly, sure, but it was nothing that time couldn't fix. No complications.

All that, and for what—heartbreak? The end of our relationship, I could take, albeit miserably. But it had been the destruction of our friendship that hurt the most. Years of helping him with his homework; the surge of pride welling up in my heart when Ron made the Quidditch team in fifth year; our first kiss – it was a masterpiece.

I never seemed to forget it. It really does not seem logical to have thrown away all of that just because of some trivial row.

One single, fat tear escapes my eye as I recount all the good memories, the things I forgot as I gathered up my stuff and left that night three and a half months ago. I spent time with Viktor, but I decided to leave him too, because he seemed to want more than the friendship I was willing to give, and I wanted to save him the heartbreak.

"'Mione?"

My eyes go wide as I whirl around to see none other than Ronald Weasley standing behind me. "Oh, hello. I was just…" I trail off as I try to find an answer.

Ron shuffles nervously and says, "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight."

"Ginny said you'd be gone tonight."

"I would have thought a clever woman like you would have checked the family clock to see if my devious little sister was right."

"I should go and tell her off for such a bad plan, shouldn't I?" I smile absently and shake my head at Ginny, because _of course_.

"Wait. I think… er…we should talk," Ron offers.

I cannot think of anything to say, so he leads me downstairs to the quiet, empty kitchen. Before seating himself, he rummages around for something to eat, and settles on a plate of biscuits and some butterbeer. I nibble on a chocolate biscuit.

"We never got a chance to talk about what happened," I started, eager to sort this out. "I'm not entirely sure you know how much I _care_."

"It was just easier. I was—still am—gone half the time. I spent more time with Harry than with you because of work…And you deserve so much more. You deserve all the success you're bound to gain, you deserve a boyfriend who'll always be there to love you and celebrate all of your achievements."

"I will always come back to you, Ron."

"Yet you stayed with Krum after our row," he snaps.

I don't need to ask how he knows that—both Viktor and I are something of legend in the Wizarding World.

"Ronald," I say, exasperated because he still does not understand, even after all these years.

In the dim lighting, I can barely see his face. I take his hands in mine and he looks down.

"Viktor is one of my best friends. Yes, he was my first boyfriend, but you were my first kiss, my first love, my _only_ love."

Ron finally meets my gaze. It is in this moment when something changes: his eyes turn brighter, and he slowly smiles. "Ginny once said you kissed Krum. Did you know that? Guess she was wrong. And I fully intend to be your last, too."

It is one of those achingly romantic moments that don't come along very often. Dating Ron is always fire on fire, passion and wild emotions. Seeing him like this, the soft lighting casting shadows on his face…well, it's nothing short of beautiful.


End file.
